A group of archaeologists has found evidence of the largest megaquake in human history. A new study featured in Science Advances says that the newly discovered Chile megaquake took place around 3,800 years ago. The quake was so terrible that it led to the abandonment of nearby coastlines for almost 1,000 years.
The massive earthquake was caused by a massive rupture that lifted the region’s coastline, the researchers say. It took place in what is now northern Chile. The Chile megaquake did more than just shake the land in the area, though. It also created a massive tsunami with waves as high as 20 meters (66 feet).
Researchers believe the tsunami caused by the Chile megaquake traveled all the way to New Zealand. That’s almost 6,000 miles from the point of origin. The tsunami waves were so powerful, they flung coastal boulders the size of cars hundreds of miles inland.
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This newly discovered earthquake beats the previous record for the largest earthquake recorded. The Valdivia earthquake took place in 1960. At the time, records picked up a massive quake in southern Chile that had a magnitude between 9.4 and 9.6. The Valdivia earthquake killed up to 6,000 people and sent tsunamis out across the Pacific Ocean.
Read more: yahoo
